Abstract

We observed the retention loss of dot domains ( diameter) and square domains with sizes of 1 and that were reversed by applying an electric field at an atomic force microscopy(AFM) conductive tip on a heteroepitaxialthin film with + polarization in the virgin state, which was fabricated via hydrothermal epitaxy below . Through theoretical calculations, it was discussed that the retention loss phenomena of a domain reversed by using an AFM tip were derived from the summation of the depolarization field energy and the strain-polarization coupling energy. Since the retention loss of the reversed domain with a straight domain wall by applying a homogeneous electric field did not occur, we suggest that a cylindrical domain, which has a nearly straight domain wall that extends to the bottom electrode on the given thin film, would be free from the retention loss.

Received 27 June 2006Accepted 26 August 2006Published online 15 December 2006

Acknowledgments:

This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology (M1010500066-01H2006400), the National Research Laboratory Program (M10400000024-04J0000-02410), and the Brain Korea 21 project of 2005.